Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece



W. T. B. MORLEY ET AL Feb. 8, 1938.

APPARATUS :FOR REMOVING SELVAGE EDGEJS FROM TEXTILE FABRICS -IN THE PIECE 1936 2 Sheets -Shee t 1 Filed Oct. 1

Feb. 8, 1938.

w. T. B. MORLEY ET AL APPARATU$ FOR REMQVING SELVAGE EDGES FROM TEXTILE FABRICS IN THE] PIECE] Filed Oct. 1, 193

Sheets-Sheet 2 KTTOP/VEY Patented F eb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SELVAGE EDGES FROM TEXTILE FABRICS IN THE PIECE Application October 1,

1936, Serial No. 103,622

In Great Britain May 29, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to the removal of selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece and has for its principal object to provide improved apparatus for removing the selvage edges, a further 6 object being to provide a form of such apparatus which can be adapted for slitting the fabric into strips.

According to the present invention, apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprises two carriages provided with runways and a cross rail over which the fabric passes, adapted to be mounted on a machine provided with feed and batch up rolls through which the fabric is traversed, said carriages normally being drawn towards each other by flexible cables and weights, each carriage being provided with an abutment adapted to bear against the respective sides of the fabric and having a slitting knife attached thereto at a predetermined distance from said abutment so as to govern the width of selvage edge removed.

According to another feature of the invention the carriages may be constructed so that they may support a cross bar detachably attached thereto and upon which may be mounted additional slitting knives for use when it is desired to divide the fabric longitudinally into two or more strips in addition to removing the selvage edges.

The invention will be more particularly described by the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference letters or characters refer throughout the several views to the same thing or part and wherein:-

Figure 1 is an end elevation of one form of apparatus for carrying the invention into effect.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 drawn to a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the travelling carriages drawn to an enlarged scale with cer- 4'} tain parts shown in section for clearness of explanation.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 2 but with the parts rearranged to adapt the apparatus for performing an addi- R tional operation.

According to one embodiment of the invention a fitment is provided comprising two transverse runways a, a spaced apart in parallel relationship and carried by end brackets b adapted to be attached to the side frames 0 of a machine, which may be an existing processing machine, or a separate machine comprising batch rolls fore and aft from oif and on to which the length of fabric d is wound, means being provided to ro- 5., tate the batch up roll. The runways a are L- shape in cross section the upright limbs of which are located on the outside edges to constitute vertical runways for horizontal antifriction rollers r mounted on the carriage whilst the horizontal limbs constitute horizontal runways for vertically disposed antifriction rollers 8 upon which the carriage is free to move transversely, four such Vertical antifriction rollers being used, two on either side, so as to provide a steady motion.

Each carriage comprises two end pieces e, e connected together by a central cross-tube 1 which enters a bore in the boss e of each, the bosses being split and having tapering screw threads on the exterior to receive nuts e by means of which the tube ,1 can be firmly clamped in position. Adjustably mounted on the tube f is a tubular fitment g adapted to be clamped thereto by the pinching pin it and having a projecting arm 2' to which a thin slitting knife 7' is bolted, said knife depending into a transverse groove k formed in a cross rail Ic preferably of circular shape in cross section and which is also formed with a groove or grooves k preferably three, constituting a slideway in which rests a corresponding number of projections l on a pendant arm Z carried by a second cross rail or tube m connecting the two ends 2 of the carriage. The cross rail it constitutes a guide rail over which the fabric (1 is traversed and said arms Z constitute the guides which rest against the edges of the cloth d to position the slitting knives 7' in respect of said edge, the parts Z of the pendant arm Z engaging the cross rail grooves k being provided with antifriction devices such as balls if required.

One of said carriages is provided at each side of the runway, see Figure 2, and each has a flexible cable m attached thereto which passes over a guide pulley m on the opposite side of the machine where it is attached to the end of a comparatively light weight m the arrangement being such that said weights m normally act to draw the carriage towards the opposite side of the machine, the movement being arrested by the engagement of the projections Z on the guide arm Z by the respective edge of the fabric passing therethrough. Suitable guide rolls or rails n are provided to guide and tension the fabric as it is traversed across the slitting knives 7' in the direction indicated by the arrow heads.

To facilitate the starting up of the machine each carriage is provided with a pivoted latch 0 which normally lies on the respective end piece 2 but can be turned outwards to engage notch a in the vertical web of the runway a to hold the carriage clear of the cloth while the latter is being threaded in position. Each carriage is provided with a rubber buffer p forming a continuation of the boss e to cushion the blow of the meeting carriages free to advance, under the influence of the respective weights at the termination of the selvage removal operation of each piece.

The fabric dis fed through the slitting machine in which the knives have been adjusted so as to remove a strip (1 of the minimum width from each edge to remove the selvage, said fabric, with the selvage removed then being wound on to a batch roll and as it is of uniform thickness it feeds evenly onto said batch roll and the finished cloth can be wound into hard compact rolls for use or storage thereby preventing puckering or deterioration.

To adapt the machine for slitting the fabric at other than the selvage edge, for example when it is desired to divide it longitudinally into two or more strips the inner end piece e of such carriage is removed and the two carriages are joined by longer cross bars 1, m clamped thereto as previously explained the former having a longer tubular fitment g threaded thereon, to which additional fitments i are clamped carrying additional slitting knives 7', said fitments corresponding in number to the desired divisions which it is desired to make and being spaced along the length of the carrier according to the desired width of the strips as will be clearly understood on reference to Figure 4. The arrangement is such that the central tube can be rotated bodily to move 'all the slitting knives simultaneously into or out of engagement with the fabric, a clamping screw 72, or the like being provided to secure the fitment with the knives in the operative position. When the two carriages are interconnected in this manner one of the controlling weights and cables m, m is disconected.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what maner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-

1. Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprising two carriages adapted tobe movably mounted on run- Ways mounted transversely of a machine provided with feed and batch up rolls through which the fabric is traversed, flexible cables and weights coupled to said carriages and normally tending to draw the same towards each other transversely of the path of traverse of the fabric, each carriage being provided with vertical antifriction rollers adapted to run on horizontal components of the runways and horizontally disposed antifriction rollers adapted to bear against vertical components of the runways, and each carriage having a slitting knife mounted thereon in spaced relationship to an abutment, together with an abutment adapted to bear against the edge of the fabric.

2. Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprising twocarriages adapted to be movably mounted on runways mounted transversely of a machine provided with a cross rail over which the fabric is traversed each carriage beingprovided with vertical antifriction rollers adapted to run on horizontal components of the runways and horizontally disposed antifriction rollers adapted to bear against vertical components of the runways and each carriage having a slitting knife mounted thereon in spaced relationship to an abutment and an abutment carried by each carriage engaging runways in the cross rail and adapted to contact with the edge of the cloth to guide the carriage, flexible cables and weights being coupled to said carriages and normally tending to draw the same towards each other transversely of the path of traverse of the fabric substantially as described.

3. Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprising two carriages adapted to be movably mounted on runways mounted transversely of a machine provided with a cross rail over which the fabric is traversed each carriage being provided with vertical antifriction rollers adapted to run on horizontal components of the runways and horizontally disposed antifriction rollers adapted to bear against vertical components of the runways and each carriage having a slitting knife mounted thereon in spaced relationship to an abutment and an abutment carried by each carriage engaging runways in the cross rail and adapted tocontact with the edge of the cloth to guide the carriage, flexible cables and weights being coupled to said carriages and normally tending to draw the same towards each other transversely of the path of traverse of the fabric and a resilient buffer on each carriage arranged to cushion the shock when free to advance due to the traversing weights, substantially as described.

4. Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprising two carriages adapted to be movably mounted on runways mounted transversely of a machine provided with a cross rail over which the fabric is traversed each carriage being provided with vertical antifriction rollers adapted to run on horizontal components of the runways and horizontally disposed antifriction rollers adapted to bear against vertical components of the runways and each carriage having a slitting knife mounted thereon in spaced relationship to an abutment and an abutment carried by each carriage engaging runways in the cross rail and adapted to contact with the edge of the cloth to guide the carriage, flexible cables and weights being coupled to said carriages and normally tending to draw the same towards each other transversely of the path of traverse of the fabric and a resilient buffer on each carriage arranged to cushion the shock when free to advance due to the traversing weights, each carriage also being provided with a catch to retain it in the inoperative position whilst the machine is being threaded up, substantially as described.

5. Apparatus for removing selvage edges from textile fabrics in the piece comprising two carriages each comprising twoend pieces connected together by cross bars to which are adjustably clamped slitting knives and abutments adapted to be mounted on a runway on a machine provided with feed and batch up rolls through which the fabric is traversed one opposite end piece of each carriage being adapted to be coupled together to form a single carriage provided with vertical antifriction rollers adapted to bear against vertical runways, a single abutment on said carriage together with a plurality of slitting knives and means comprising a flexible cable and weight to traverse the carriage in one direction against the edge of the fabric, substantially as described.

WILFRID THOMAS BASIL MORLEY. FRANCIS EDWIN MORLEY. 

